Outboard motor for boats



Dec. 1, 1931. Q A, J MER c 1,834,068

OUTBOARD MOTOR FOR BOATS Filed July 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY v

A TTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1931. A. J. MERICKLE OUTBOARD MOTOR FOR BOATS Filed July 7, 1930' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ya. I INVEN BY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 d RN LIJJ. MEBICKLEOF wEs'r Arms, WISCONSIN j ouirnoAnnmoron r03. BOATS Application .liled. Ju1y 7,

This invention relates to improvements in outboard motors for boats, and more particularly to an air propeller 'b'o'at' motor.

Heretofore, air propeller motors for boats have been provided but said'motors have been very cumbersome in construction'due to the fact that it is essential that the propeller beelevated a considerable distance above the boat, and to attain the proper propeller elevation in the prior constructions, it was necessary that the motor, forfdriving the propeller be elevated above theboat, resulting in a top heavy, objectionable arrangement.

It is one of the objects of thepresent'invention to overcome the-afore-mentioned objections by providing an air propeller boat motor which can be mounted in'a relatively low position Within a boat, maintaining the essential elevation for the propeller, but elimin ating a raised position of the motor proper which woi'ild'render the device top heavy when mounted in a boat and cumbersome.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air'propeller, outboard boat motor,

of unitary construction and'having' a"novel driving arrangement between a relatively low mounted motor and anelevatedj propeller.

A further object of the invention is to'provide an air propeller boat motor whichis of the outboard type andwhich isrelative'ly small and'light, and portable, being adapted for quick '{mounung'in the stern portion of a row boat [or the like.

A further objectof the invention is to i provide an'air propeller outboard boat motor,

and di'irablegis inexpensive to manufacture, and isfwell adapted for the purposes de scribed.- l

"With the abovefand' other objects in View the invention consists of the improved air propeller boat motor, and its parts'and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views: p

Flg. 1 1s a side view of a boat having'the which is of very simple construction, is strong In the accompany ng drawings in which tion and not far removed fromthe floor of the boat. The mounting of the cylinder block improved air propeller, outboard motor 1930, Serial no. 465,952.

1 F 2 is an enlarged'fragmentary vertical sectlonal'view of the rear portion of a boat 1 showing the improved motor mounted therein, the motor being shown in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a front View of the motor; and

Fig. 4; is a rear view thereof. I Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will appear that thenumeral 8 indicates a small boat of the row boat type, in the stern of which the improved air pro-- peller motor is detachably mounted.

The frame for the motor includes a pair of spaced apart, vertically positioned frame members 9 and 10 and the major portion of each of said members is rectangular in outline, with their upperfportions curved and converging. The lower portions of the frame members 9 and 10 are joined by bars 11 which are adapted to seat on the bottom or'floor of'the boat, as shown. A pair of tiller brackets',12 are pivotally secured at their lower inner ends to the lower ends of the 1.1pright portions of the frame member 9, as at13. The upper portions of said tiller brackets are formed withintegral, forwardly extending,

' curved'slotted arms 15, which portions are overtherear portion of the boat and said arms have secured thereto a triangular tiller support, 17, A tiller shaft housing 18 iscarrie'd 'jvertically 'by the tiller support and" revolubly' mounted in said housing is a tiller shaft 19 having a tiller 20*fixed to its lower 7 end portion. 'A steering pulley 20 is secured to the upper end portion of the tiller shaft.

The apparatus further includes a one-cyl-* inder internal combustion'engine and the cylinder block 21 is hung'between the frame members 79 and 1 0 in a relatively low posiis accomplished by means ofa pair of side tubular supports 22 which are extended be-' tween lower portions of the frame members franged toqp'roject horizontally rearwardly peller is disposed in an adequately elevated position over the stern of the boat.

The propeller shaft housing is formed with an integral forwardly projectingand downwardly offset subhousing portion 28 which extends forwardly of they front frame member 10. ,The upper end portion of a vertical shaft 29 is journaled in a bronze bushing 30 in said sub-housing and the upper, outer end portion of said shaft 29 carries a bevel gear 31 meshing with a similar bevel gear 32 on the forward outer end portion of the propeller shaft 26. A curved, aluminum casing 33, secured to the housings 24 and 28, covers the ends of the shafts 26 and 29 and the gears thereon.

A lower gear housing 34 has its inner end,

portion secured to a lower front portion of said cylinder block 21 and said housing extends forwardly between the uprights of the framemember 10 and then upwardly; An

' end portion of-thecrank shaft 35 of the engine is journaled in a portion of the housing 34, and said portion of said crank shaft has pinned theretothe sleeve portion 36 of a bevel gear 37. An' upper vertical portion of the housing 34: is formed as a bearing containing a bushing 38 through whichis journaled the,

lower portion of the vertical shaft 29. The lower extremity of said shaft carries a bevel gear 39 which is engaged by the bevel gear 37. An aluminum'casing 40 is secured to portions of the housing 34 and covers the ends of the shafts 29 and36-as well as the gears thereon. Also, a housingtube 41 interposed between the sub-housing, 28 and the'upper portionof the housing 34.- covers' the intermediate portion of the vertical shaft-29;

. It-isobviousthat reciprocations of the piston Within the cylinder cause the crankshaft 35 tobeturned and through the meshing bevel gears37 and 39 the vertical shaft 29 is turned, 7

Which shaft, through thegears 31 and 32, ro-

, tates thepropeller shaft, whereby the propeller is driven. a

The entire air propeller motoris of a unitaryconstruction and comparatively light,

rendering it readily portable Also it may be easily, detachably mounted in the stern portion of a boat in a very stable position.

The motor block is positioned relatively low,

partially withinthe confines of the boat, whereby the boat is not rendered top heavy but the air propeller is elevated a substantial distance, and motion is transmitted to it by the novel and simple drive arrangement between the motor and the propeller.

From the foregoingdescription it will be seen that the improved air propeller boat motor is of very simple; construction, and is Well adapted for the purposes described.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A unitary, portable, air propeller motor device for boats, comprising a frame, a motor mounted in a relatively low position therewithin, said motor having a crank shaft, a propeller shaft mounted on the upper portion of said frame, a propeller carried by an end portion O'fjSa/ld shaft, and motion transmitting means earriedbysaid frame and extending betweenthe motor crank shaf-tand said elevated propeller shaft.

2.. A unitary, portable, air propeller motor device for boats, comprising a frame, a motor mounted in a relatively low position therewithin, said motor having acrank shaft, a propeller shaft mounted on the upper portion of said frame, a propeller carriedby an end portion of said shaft, motion transmitting.

means carried by said frame and extending between the motor crank shaftand said elevated propeller shaft, and rigidly mounted housings enclosing said propeller shaft-and said motion transmitting means. 3. A unitary, portable, air propeller mo-.

tor device for boats, comprising a frame positionable. within a rear lower portion of a boat and detachably securable to-portions of the boat,,a motormounted in a relatively lowposition therewithin, said motor having a crank shaft, a propeller shaft mounted on the upper portionof said. frame, a. propeller carried by an end portionofsaid shaft, andmotion transmitting means carried by said frame and extending between the motor crank shaft and said elevated propeller LA, unitary, portable, air propeller m0- tordevice for boats, comprising a frame posiand detachably securable to portions of the boat, said frame including anadjustable tiller frame and a tiller carried thereby, amotor mounted in a relatively .low position therewithin. said motor having a. crank shaft, a

propeller shaft mounted on the upper por-- comprising a vertical motor having a lower crank shaft, a substantially horizontal propeller shaft-mounted in a relatively elevated position over said motor, and a transmission between the crank shaft and the propeller shaft mounted compactly adjacent a side of "tionable within a rear lower portion of a'boat' said motor, all of said parts being oined and arranged to provide a portable, unitary dev1ce. e

6. A portable air propeller unit for boats, comprising a supporting and mounting frame having boat clamping means, a motor mounted vertically within said frame in a relatively low position, said motor having a lower crank shaft, a propeller shaft housing mounted on the top of said frame, a propeller shaft therewithin, a propeller on an outer end of said propeller shaft, a transmission housing mounted on a side of said frame and extending vertically between the other end of the propeller shaft and the crank shaft, and transmission elements within said housing, said transmission elements comprising, a bevel gear mounted on said crank shaft, a vertical shaft, bevel gears mounted on both ends of said Vertical shaft, one of which is engaged. with said crank shaft bevel gear, and a bevel gear on an end of said propeller shaft engaged with the other vertical shaft bevel gear.

7. In the combination of a motor andan air propeller with a boat, a unitary assembly comprising said motor, means for detachably mounting said motor in a relatively low position within the stern of said boat, a propeller shaft mounted over the motor and above the stern portion of the boat, an enclosed transmission between a lower portion of the motor and said propeller shaft, and an air propeller mounted on said propeller shaft in an elevated position over the stern of the boat and above and rearwardly of said motor. e

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARNOLD J. MERICKLE. 

